The After Days
by pchi
Summary: Two time players. No more Sburb. No more friends. Everyone is gone but them. Can they learn to start getting in touch with the small, post-apocalyptic social world as money starts to become an issue?


Dave sat on the ground of his room, his lifeless eyes gazing at the wall before him. After everything that happened, he found himself daydreaming more often. It was all he could really do, afterall. All he could really do to escape from the reminiscent things that surrounded him with every step he took. He tried to think of good things, but every good thing would drown into a pit of nightmare. Yet, he couldn't help himself at times. He would just fall into dream at the most unexpected times. It would start with John, and Rose, then everyone he'd met while preparing for the worst. The defeat of evil itself. Everyone would laugh, and they would be having a great time, but then he would remember that it wasn't time to mess around. It was time to prepare. It was the time to sacrifice. Then, so suddenly, everyone would burn, fall to ashes, disappear, and all he could do was stand there. Even if he did win, the game didn't end with everyone else.

"Dave."  
The voice was faint, but recognizable.

"Dave! Dave, calm down," The soft voice became more clear, and when he re-entered reality, he found himself sweating; panicking. She quickly embraced him, and his head rested on her bare chest. Dave took a deep breath, and she squeezed him tighter.  
"You did it again," Her voice was trembling slightly. He felt bad to scare her like that all the time.

He felt bad for everything.

She gently pushed away from the calming embrace, putting two hands on his shoulders. His vision became more focused on the girl in front of him. She looked tired, and her hair had grown longer, falling just past her waist, and covered her breasts. Her lips still remained the maroon that they had always been, and her ears came to a point, not hidden by her tangled hair.

"Dave, do you hear me?" She looked at him with concern, and all he could do is stare.

"You need to get a hold of yourself.."

She paused, hesitating. Her eyes diverted from him, but quickly locked back to his stare.

"We're running out of money. It's time to. . . " Her voice trailed off, and she paused once more. She stood up and turned to the broken mirror on the other side of the room, walking closer to it. She turned around, speaking in a stern tone.

"It's time to get real."

And with that said, he made movement. His lips opened and he looked at her.

"Get real," He echoed, "I _have_ been real, and frankly, it's all a bunch of bullshit now."

"This whole _denial_ thing is_ bullshit_, Dave. You need to face the facts, they're de-"

He stood up.

"_Don't,_" He went up to her, staring down at her in some hopes that she would understand that he wasn't going to have it today. There was some silence, but she broke it, speaking slowly, unfazed by his act.

"_They're dead_," The words bounced off of her lips and began to dance around his head mockingly. He became tense, curling his hands into fists. She didn't budge, didn't flinch,_ didn't do anything_. This was routine. She knew he wouldn't do anything-_ he couldn't_.

"You know I can't go outside, Dave.." She turned back to the mirror, and touched her cheek. "Who knows what people will think. Besides, I've been here long enough to know that people would die to take something like... _me_." It's like she hated knowing that she was the only one of her existence now. Even_ she_ had a hard time facing the truth. He said nothing. That's how it normally went when he knew that she was right.

"Anyway, I have the shower running," She grabbed his hand, tangling her fingers in between his. Dave sighed, looking away. He hated how she mothered him like a child, but teased him like a _teenager_, and she knew that. He flinched. _God_, he could feel her mischievous grin as she tightened her grip on his hand.

The warm water poured down on the both of them. All Dave could do was get lost in his own thought. What if everyone reminds him of them? Getting a job was going to be one of the hardest things to do now, so maybe it would be best if he_ did_ try to face the truth. Besides, it was his job to protect his companion. It'd be best.

For the both of them.


End file.
